strapi-deploy-steps-for-digitalocean

To deploy a Strapi application on a DigitalOcean Ubuntu server with Apache2, you'll need to follow these steps:

1. Provision a DigitalOcean Ubuntu server:

   • Create a droplet on DigitalOcean with Ubuntu as the operating system.
   • SSH into your server using a terminal or SSH client.

2. Install Node.js and npm:

   • Update the package index on your server:

     sudo apt update
     

   • Install Node.js and npm:

     sudo apt install nodejs npm
     

3. Install and configure Apache2:

   • Install Apache2:

     sudo apt install apache2
     

   • Enable Apache2 modules:

     sudo a2enmod rewrite proxy proxy_http proxy_balancer lbmethod_byrequests headers
     

   • Restart Apache2 to apply the changes:

     sudo systemctl restart apache2
     

4. Configure a virtual host for your Strapi application:

   • Create a new Apache2 configuration file for your Strapi app:

     sudo nano /etc/apache2/sites-available/your-app.conf
     

   • Add the following configuration to the file, replacing your-app with your desired domain name or IP address:

     <VirtualHost *:80>
       ServerName your-app
     
       ProxyPreserveHost On
       ProxyPass / http://localhost:1337/
       ProxyPassReverse / http://localhost:1337/
     
       ErrorLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/error.log
       CustomLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/access.log combined
     </VirtualHost>

   • Save and close the file.

   • Enable the virtual host:

     sudo a2ensite your-app.conf
     

   • Restart Apache2:

     sudo systemctl restart apache2
     

5. Install and configure PM2 for process management:

   • Install PM2 globally:

     sudo npm install -g pm2
     

   • Navigate to your Strapi project's root directory:

     cd /path/to/your-strapi-project
     

   • Start your Strapi app with PM2:

     pm2 start npm --name "your-app" -- start
     

   • Save the PM2 process list:

     pm2 save
     

   • Enable PM2 to start your app automatically on system boot:

     pm2 startup
     

6. Configure your domain name or DNS:

   • If you're using a domain name, make sure you have an A record pointing to your server's IP address.

7. Test your Strapi application:

   • Access your Strapi app by visiting your domain name or server IP address in a web browser.

That's it! Your Strapi application should now be deployed on your DigitalOcean Ubuntu server using Apache2. Make sure to secure your server, set up SSL/TLS if needed, and consider using a reverse proxy for added security and performance.